Manufacturing
Psyllium Husk Processing: From Farm to Pharmaceutical
Complete Supply Chain and Quality Control Journey
Rajesh Jindal, Quality Manager
February 20, 2024
10 min read
Stage 1: Cultivation (October - March)
Climate Requirements
- Temperature: 10-25°C
- Rainfall: 300-400mm
- Soil: Sandy loam, pH 7-8
- Region: Unjha, Gujarat (ideal conditions)
Farming Practices
- Seed rate: 3-4 kg/hectare
- Spacing: 20cm rows
- Irrigation: 3-4 times during growth
- Harvest: 120-130 days after sowing
Stage 2: Harvesting
Timing
Harvest when:
- 80% of spikes turn brown
- Seeds rattle inside capsules
- Moisture content: 12-15%
Method
- Manual cutting of plants
- Sun drying for 3-5 days
- Threshing to separate seeds
- Winnowing to remove debris
Stage 3: Seed Processing
Cleaning
Magnetic separation (metal removal)
Gravity separation (stone removal)
Air classification (dust removal)
Color sorting (defect removal)
Storage
- Temperature: <25°C
- Humidity: <60% RH
- Fumigation: As per FSSAI norms
- Traceability: Batch coding
Stage 4: Husk Separation
Mechanical Milling
- Pre-conditioning: Moisture adjustment to 8-10%
- Milling: Controlled impact to crack seed coat
- Aspiration: Air classification to separate husk
- Sieving: Multiple mesh screens for grading
Yield Optimization
- Husk yield: 25-30% of seed weight
- Purity target: 99%+
- Minimal kernel contamination
Stage 5: Quality Control
| Test Type | Parameters | Standards |
|---|---|---|
| Physical | Purity, Mesh size, Moisture, Swelling index, Color | USP/EP/IP methods |
| Chemical | Ash content, Heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) | <2 ppm Pb, <1 ppm As |
| Microbiological | TPC, Yeast & mold, E. coli, Salmonella | <10,000 cfu/g TPC |
Jindal Agro's Advantage
Location
- Based in Unjha, the global psyllium hub
- Direct access to 5000+ farmers
- Shortest farm-to-factory distance
Infrastructure
- 10,000 sq ft processing facility
- In-house laboratory
- Cold storage capacity: 500 MT
- Annual capacity: 2000 MT
Certifications
ISO 9001:2015ISO 22000:2018GMPFSSAIExport License
Conclusion
The journey from farm to pharmaceutical-grade psyllium requires expertise, infrastructure, and unwavering commitment to quality. With 30 years of experience, Jindal Agro has perfected every step of this process.
Contact us for detailed specifications, COA samples, or facility audit arrangements.